The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

• Genre:  Fantasy
• Grade Level: 4th - 7th 
• Reading Level: 5.7 (11 points)
• Length: 400 pages
• Publisher:  Aladdin; First Edition edition (August 30, 2011)
• My Rating: 5 out of 4
• Readability: Great and can't put it down book!  Not for sensitive readers. 
• Not eligible for MHL (too old)
• Summary:  In a society that purges thirteen-year-olds who are creative, identical twins Aaron and Alex are separated, one to attend University while the other, supposedly Eliminated, finds himself in a wondrous place where youths hone their abilities and learn magic.
  

This title is featured on the Barnes and Noble summer reading journal as one of the choices for 5th and 6th graders. The catch line from Kirkus Reviews that is written on the cover of the book says  "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter".  I would say that is pretty accurate!  I was concerned as to the level of violence in the book. So, I decided to read it.  I loved it and couldn't put it down.  It does end with a violent battle at the end a few characters do face death, however, it is not to the extent of violence as The Hunger Games series.

Aaron and Alex are twins who live in the land of Quill. On their 13th birthday children are sorted in this dystopian type of community.  The Wanteds go the University, the Necessaries do all the work, and the Unwanteds are eliminated.  They are eliminated because they are creative and that is not tolerated at all in Quill.  It is pretty horrible to read about them as they leave their families and go on a bus to the Death Farm where they face dying in a boiling lake of oil.  However, when they get there, they find a beautiful world full of magic and color, and love. Aaron is a Wanted and Alex is an Unwanted. 

The plot continues with Alex longing to rescue his twin who lives in Quill and yet his twin is becoming a powerful leader soon to be in line to take over the kingdom.  Secrets are told and eventually the  land of Quill discovers this unknown world of magic and a battle between good and evil is played out.  
There are 7 books total.  I looked on Good Reads and it seems as though the series is really liked.  I will have to see about ordering them for my library.